Tide-water motor.



M; LOGAN.

TIDE WATER MOTOR. A, AIPPLIOATION I'ILEDQGT. 27, 1909 Y x Patented Oct.25, 1910.

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I M, LOGAN. TIDE WATER mosron.

- ABPLIOATIOI FILED OCT. 27 1909.

Patented Oct. 25, 1910.

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MARTIN LOGAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TIDE-WATER MOTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 25, 1910.

Application filed. October 27, 1909. Serial No. 524,905.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, lHARTIN LOGAN, a citizen of the United-States, andresident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tide-VVaterMotors, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan viewof a channel forminga tide way, the water wheel being shown as mountedtherein; Fig. 2 a. vertical transverse sectional view of the channel,the water wheel being shown in side elevation and the bearings thereforbeing shown in sectional view; and Fig. 3 a longitudinal verticalsectional view of the channel showing the water wheel and one of the endgates in elevation.

The invention relates to that class of devices wherein the water wheelis driven by the movement of tide water through a restricted channel.

The primary obj ect of the invention is to provide means forautomatically deflecting the water from one side of the channel to theother as the direction of flow of the tide reverses, in order that thewater wheel may be driven continuously in the same direction withoutregard to the direction of flow of the tide.

A further object of the invention is to provide tide-operated gates ateach end of the channel containing the water wheel, said gates being soswung by the tide as todefleet the water in such a manner as to maintainthe wheel constant in its direction of r0- tation during all tides.

Another important object of the invention is to provide means for sorestricting the channel on both sides of the water wheel as to insurethe covering of the wheel buckets at all times except at dead low tide.

In carrying out my invention and attaining the various objects I providea very durable and efficient apparatus which may be comparativelycheaply constructed and installed.

Referring to the various parts by numerals, 1O designates the walls ofthe channel in which the water wheel is mounted, said channel havingrestricted entrances 11 and 12. In the center of the channel aboutmidway the restricted entrances is a foundation 13 on which is supporteda heavy base or bearing plate 1 1 for the water wheel.

Extending across the channel and directly above the center of thebase-bearing is supported a. journal 15 for the upper end of the waterwheel shaft. The water wheel consists of a central cylindricalbody-portion 16 mounted on a vertical shaft 17 whose lower end rests ina bearing cup 18 formed in the top of the bearing plate 14:, the upperend of said shaft extending through the journal 15' and carrying abeveled gear 19 through which power may be transmitted in any suitablemanner.

Secured rigidly to the body-portion of the wheel, about midway betweenthe bottom and top thereof, are a series of radially extending rigidbucket-supporting rods 20, said rods being spaced equal distances apartaround the wheel. Held to the body-portion of the wheel at thebase ofeach rod is a bucket or water vane 21. Each bucket consists of twohinged portions or leaves 22 and 23, the leaf 22 being hinged to thebody-portion of the wheel, as described, and the leaf 23 being hinged tothe outer vertical edge of the leaf 22. The outer portion of the leaf 23is slotted and through said slot extends the rigid bucket supportingrod, said rod being provided with a head, preferably a nut, to preventthe outer leaf moving outwardly off the end of said rod. By means ofthis construction it is obvious that the leaves of the bucket may befolded inwardly to a limited extent. The two leaves of each bucket arearranged at an angle with each other forming approximately a right anglewhen in their full extended position, both leaves of the bucket, fromtheir point of connection with the radial bucket-supporting rod,inclining forwardly, that is to say, in

the direction of rotation of the water wheel,

so that the actuating current of water will flow into the bucket.

Pivoted at the restricted entrances to the the channel, will swing oneof said gates inwardly across the channel and thereby defleet theinfiowing water toward the opposite side wall and toward the bucketsonone side of the water wheel. \Vhen the tide reverses the direction ofits flow and moves out wardly, the gate at the other end of the channelwill be swung into position to deflect the water against the buckets onthe op posite side of the water wheel and the gate which has been swungacross the channel by the inflowing tide will be moved outwardly to thewall of the channel so that the water may flow outwardly beyond thewater wheel freely and unobstructed. It is obvious that by means ofthese automatically swinging gates the direction of rotation of thewater wheel will be maintained constant during the rising and fallingof'the tide. It is obvious that the water buckets which are not in usewill be free to collapse slightly when being dragged through thecomparatively still water back of the gate which is in operativeposition thereby reducing the power necessary to move the inactivebuckets.

In order to still further restrict the inlets at the water wheelchannel, inclined bulk heads 26 are secured to the side walls of thechannel and extend upwardly and outwardly over the water wheel buckets,as in dicated clearly in Figs. 2 and 3. By this means the entrances tothe channel are so choked that the inflowing water will be forcedupwardly and over the buckets by the pressure of the body of waterseeking to enter the channel, thereby insuring a full supply of water tothe buckets even when the tide is comparatively low.

The bottom 27 of the water wheel channel is arranged close to thebottoms of the buckets and the gates, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3of the drawings. By this means the lower bearing of the water wheel willbe protected from all floating material carried by the water flowingthrough the channel.

As clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings the water wheel isprovided with ball-bearings 28, said bearings maintaining the waterwheel in a true vertical position and reducing friction.

From the foregoing it is manifest that I produce a very simpleinexpensive and readily installed apparatus wherein the water wheel willbe rotated in a constant direction during the variations in flow of thetide.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A water motor comprising a channel provided with enlarged entrancesand a restricted portion, a water wheel mounted in the restrictedportion of said channel and adapted to rotate horizontally, a pair ofgates, said gates being pivoted on opposite sides of said channel one ateach end thereof and being arranged to swing in a horizontal plane awayfrom the restricted portion of the channel when open, means forarresting the outward open movement of said gates whereby the movementof water through the channel in either direction will open one of saidgates and close the other to maintain the direction of rotation of thewater wheel constant.

2. A water motor comprising a channel having a restricted portion, awater wheel mounted in the restricted portion of said channel andadapted to rotate horizontally, a pair of horizontally movable gatesextending into said channel and adapted to be swung by the movement ofthe water through the channel, the movement of the water in onedirection swinging one gate inwardly across the restricted portion ofthe channel to a closed position and the other gate outwardly toward thechannel wall away from the restricted portion, the reverse movement ofthe water reversing the movement of the gates.

3. A water motor comprising a channel having arestricted portion, awater wheel mounted in said restricted portion of the channel andadapted to rotate horizontally, a pair of gates pivoted to the sidewalls of the channel and adapted to be moved in- "wardly to obstruct thechannel on opposite sides of the water wheel, means for limiting theinward movement of said gates in their open position whereby themovement of water through the channel in either direction will cause oneof said gates to obstruct the channel and deflect the flowing watertoward one side of the water wheel.

4. A water motor comprising a channel having a restricted portion, a'water wheel mounted in the restricted portion of said channel andadapted to rotate horizontally, a gate pivoted to the side wall of saidchan nel adjacent to the Wheel and adapted to be swung horizontally bythe movement of the water through said channel, means for arresting thegate in its inward movement whereby said gate will partially obstructthe channel when the water is moving therethrough in one direction andwill be swung outwardly toward the channel wall to free the channel whenthe water is moving therethrough in the opposite direction.

5. A water motor comprising a channel, a water wheel mounted therein, agate trian gular in horizontal section means for pivoting said gate atone of its angles to the channel wall near the water wheel, means forarresting the inward movement of the gate to cause it to obstruct thechannel whereby the gate may be swung in one direction by the movementof the water in the channel and in the opposite direction by the reversemovement of the water.

6. A water motor comprising a channel, a water wheel therein, a pairofgates triangular in horizontal section, one of said gates being pivotedto the channel wall on each side of the water wheel, said gates beingmounted on opposite sides of the channel, each of said gates beingpivoted at one of its angles, and means to limit the inward movement ofsaid gates whereby said gates will be moved to their open or closedposition by the movement of the water through the channel.

7 A water motor comprising a channel, a pair of gates triangular inhorizontal section, said gates being pivoted to the channel walls, saidgates being mounted on opposite sides of the channel, each of said gatesbeing pivoted at. one of its angles, and means to limit the inwardmovement of said gates whereby said gates will be moved to their open orclosed position-by the movement of the water through the channel.

8. A tide-water motor comprising a chan nel, a water wheel mountedtherein to rotate horizontally, a portion of said wheel being above lowwater level, inclined walls extending inwardly and upwardly from thesides of the channel over the water wheel to so obstruct the channelthat water will be forced over the water wheel by the pressure of waterentering the channel, a gate supported 011 the side of the channel nearthe water wheel and adapted to be swung inwardly to partially obstructthe channel by water flowing to the water wheel.

9. A tide-water motor comprising a channel having a restricted portionfor the passage of the water, a water wheel mounted in the restrictedportion and arranged to rotate horizontally, a pair of movable gates insaid channel one on each side of the water wheel gates being arranged tobe automatically closed to obstruct the channel by water flowing to thewater wheel and .to be automatieally opened to free the channel of waterflowing from the water wheel.

10. A tide-water motor comprising a channel having a restricted;portion, a water wheel mounted in said restricted portion and arrangedto rotate horizontally, means ex tending outwardly from opposite sidesof the channel and on opposite sides of the water wheel to divert thewater, said diverting means being automatically moved to its closedposition by water flowing to the water wheel, to partially obstruct thechannel, and being moved by water flowing from the water wheel, to itsopen position to free the channel.

11. A tide water motor comprising a channel, a water wheel havingradially projecting rods and a plurality of buckets held to the wheel atone end of the rods and comprising tw'o hinged members, one of which isadapted to move inwardly or outwardly, and means located on oppositesides of the Water wheel to divert the water, said diverting means beingmoved to its closed position by water flowing to the water wheel andbeing moved by water flowing from the water Wheel from its open positionto free the channel.

12. A tide water motor comprising a channel, a Water wheel having aplurality of buckets held to the wheel at one end and comprising twohinged members, one of which is adapted to move inwardly or outwardly,and means located on opposite sides of the water wheel to divert thewater.

This specification signed and witnessed this 25 day of October A. D.1909.

MARTIN LOGAN. -Witnesses M. F. KEATING, M. DINNHAUPT.

